


Vitality

by NightshadeArabs



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Badass Reader, Fluff, I do what I want, Mutant, Not Canon Compliant, The Avengers (2012) - Freeform, X-men - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2020-05-01 18:40:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19183495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightshadeArabs/pseuds/NightshadeArabs
Summary: Vitality is an Omega/External level mutant. Her powers allow her to manipulate energy. She's old, and mostly tired of humans with no interest in relationships. Until someone comes along and messes that up.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure I messed up timelines, and I'm nearly ignoring cannon at this point.

The speckles of sunlight that shone through the canopy of trees danced with the wind. Off in the middle distance a bird was trilling. Bugs buzzed. The occasional rustle in the underbrush told me that the creatures of the forest were still moving about, doing their daily business. There was never anything to worry about, until these noises stopped. When things become still and perfectly silent. That is when the worry starts.  
Of course, that wasn’t the case today as a rabbit lazily hopped across the opening in the trees in front of me. The squirrels chattered as they leapt branch to branch, running the tree line. There was no danger here. All the energies that surrounded me were rhythmic and typical for the average day.  
I loved this little back area; the woods were always so peaceful. Sure, objectively they are just as noisy as anything else, but these noises are all organic. These noises have all been a part of the earth for millennia. The harsh sounds of the city were still relatively new. I was adapting to those, slowly.  
That many highly stressed lifeforms in one area always had too high of an energy reading. Add the power lines and such to the mix and it was a constant heavy load for me to sort through.  
I took a deep, measured breath and let myself melt into the taste of the life clinging to every molecule of air. I wiggled my toes into the damp grass and let my arms hang loosely at my sides. The others may not understand my connection with nature, but they respected my need to be in it as often as possible.  
There is a saying, that life “out here” is simpler. Which isn’t true. Life anywhere isn’t simple. It is just set to a different tune. Some people find solace in the sounds and flow of the city. Others don’t. There is no right or wrong to it. Just right or wrong for each individual person.  
Everyone draws power from something. Varying levels of power, sure, but it is always there. My power is granted by nature. I read and manipulate energy.  
Life force, electromagnetic fields, whatever you want to call it. I can feel the thrum of energy powering everything on the planet, and I can play with that power. Touch is the best way, the most direct and strongest, but I can still have some influence even at a distance. Conductive material helps, but anything you can run electricity through or over I can use.  
Soft footsteps behind me pulled me from my musing. I turned to face the person interrupting my reverie.  
That person was a distracted middle-aged man, with intelligent brown eyes and salt and pepper hair. I idly thought the grey looked good on him, as I held my hand up level to stop him from walking right into me. These people and their damn electronics.  
“Oh, hello, I didn’t see you there.” He commented, clearly surprised when he connected with my outstretched hand.  
“Impossible to see anything with your face in that screen.” I replied, not unkindly.  
“True, true, uh, could you perhaps help me? You don’t seem like you’re lost, and I know that I am.”  
“That depends on where you are trying to go.” People get lost out here all the time, but not usually in business suits and not usually from my past. What was he doing here? “You aren’t exactly dressed for a hike.” I added.  
He held up the device he was trying to use to navigate. “I was told there was someone out here that I needed to meet, and I can’t seem to get this GPS to function long enough to tell me where I am going.”  
Ah, he’s probably got a meeting with Charles. Though I don’t know how he got so turned around, given that the mansion is easy accessed from the road and he is a well-adapted, educated man. Someone must be playing a joke. The question becomes, is it on me, him, or both of us. I sighed.  
“Who were you supposed to meet, and where?”  
“Professor Charles Xavier, at some sort of school. My name is Agent Ross, by the way.” He said, holding out his hand for me to shake. I looked from his face to his outstretched hand. I’d thought he looked and felt familiar. So, he’d gotten in somewhere that used agent as a title. Good for him.  
“Everett Ross?” I asked, tilting my head slightly. I’d heard about this meeting; I just didn’t fully think through that it really could be him. I carefully shook his hand, trying not to read too much into his energy. I couldn’t block that he found me attractive though. Great. This is a complication I don’t need, and one Charles will probably try to encourage. Always the optimist, that one.  
“How’d you know my name?”  
“I know a lot of things.” I half mumbled, absentmindedly looking him over again. He had aged well. This was an interesting human. He clearly didn’t remember me, which had been the point.  
“You’re not... you’re not telepathic, are you?” Interesting, still highly perceptive human. I’d need to be careful. I’m sure he’s learned a lot since I left him on that beach.  
“Oh no, just informed. Besides, even if I was, I wouldn’t read your mind without your permission.”  
“That’s very thoughtful of you.” He seemed relieved. I didn’t press the matter. I didn’t need him to know I read energy, not minds. Hazard, or perks, of my mutation. Depending on how you looked at it.  
I helped Agent Ross navigate his way back out of the woods and onto the campus grounds. Charles was making his way out onto the lawn as we walked up. The smirk on his face told me all I needed to know. It was a joke played on both of us. Charles always had a way of getting what he wanted, and he had told me that he wanted me at this meeting. Guess I was here.  
“We have a slightly lost visitor Professor. Somehow his GPS led him right to me.”  
“How fortunate for him. When electronics mess up it can be deadly.”  
“Uh huh. I’m sure that’s all that happened.” I didn’t even try to mask the sarcasm in my voice.  
Agent Ross was looking between the two of us, clearly confused. I guess he wasn’t fully briefed on who he was meeting, or he possibly just didn’t believe what he was told. I couldn’t blame him. I mean who wants to believe that mutants really exist. I knew Ross didn’t ‘get lost’ and his GPS didn’t ‘malfunction’ Charles had probably given him a mental suggestion and convinced him to come to my location.  
The fact that Everett and I had met and worked together before was only a minor factor in my irritation with Charles, given that his memory was supposed to have been wiped. Instead of respecting my wishes to not get deeply involved with things, it seemed that I was going to be thrown into the thick of it. Again. With Everett. I should have bought that stock in bubble wrap.  
“Shall we get this over with then?” I asked, keeping my voice even.  
“Absolutely. If you both will join me in my office, please.” With that Charles turned and headed back into the mansion.  
I started following him without giving Agent Ross so much as a glance. I knew he would follow. He had nearly followed me to his death once already, probably twenty years ago or so now. I wasn’t entirely sure on the time, as it gets away from me frequently, but Agent Ross had been LT Ross at the time, and a young, green fighter pilot in the Air Force. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as we entered the main office. I could feel Everett watching me, but I couldn’t tell from his energy if he remembered anything or not. Charles had said he might get flashes. I had hoped that the mental suggestion from both of us would prevent that.


	2. Chapter 2

30ish years earlier  
There I was, minding my own business relaxing on the edge of a lake in the middle of the woods. I picked up the strange energy signature long before I heard or saw anything. There were jets, one powered by something completely foreign to me, a couple that just seemed a little weird, then a handful of standard issue American tech. The one powered by the force I didn’t recognize at all was clearly being piloted by someone who knew what they were doing, but they were still quickly shot down across the lake. Before I could intervene in the scene taking place before me one of the slightly off powered jets got a good shot in on one of the American jets.  
I sighed and watched yet another jet, this one with what felt like a weaker build to the strange one that crashed across from me, was headed directly towards the rocky cliff bank that bordered one side of the lake. Fun to jump off into the water, not fun for a head-on collision. I watched for a couple seconds to see if the pilot would be able to eject and save themselves, or if they might need help. The energy readings I was getting from the cockpit didn’t change and I realized the blast must have compromised the pilot.  
I ran, leaping into the air and used an energy blast to land on the rapidly descending jet. A quick glance through the glass as I reached back to smash it told me my assumptions were true. The young man behind the joysticks had a gash at his hairline, blood was trickling out beneath his helmet and if I didn’t pull him out, he was going down with this heap of metal. I scowled when I realized he couldn’t have been more than 18. The military always did like to get them young. In one swift motion I broke the glass and yanked on the eject lever. We shot upwards with the force of the launch throwing us clear of the jet just as it smashed into the rocks. I made an energy barrier to stop shrapnel from ruining all my hard work of protecting the pilot thus far and forced the chute to open.  
I was glad a couple of seconds later that I still had the energy field in place when the strange jet behind me was suddenly triggered, causing a massive explosion. I could only watch from where I guided the still limp pilot down to the ground as the odd feeling beings collected the highly energized body of the pilot from the experimental jet and left with her. Damn. You really can’t save them all.  
I took note of the name tapes on my downed pilot as we came softly to a landing on the beach. LT Ross. ‘Well Ross, you seem like you’re going to live, and I can feel search and rescue headed this way. So, I’m out of here.’ I thought as the search and rescue group responded to the downed jets signals.  
I made it into the tree line and turned to watch just as the medics reached the now slowly waking LT Ross where I’d left him strapped in his ejector seat. I’m sure they’d assume that he got himself out and was knocked unconscious by the jerk of the parachute deploying. It wasn’t unheard of. Head trauma had a way of playing with your memory of events and I felt reasonably confident that Ross would have no idea I was even there.  
Governments and government officials always had this weird aversion to mutants or powered people of any kind. Unless they thought they could use them as a weapon. I had zero interest in becoming a lab rat, or a weapon. So, even when I did intervene in events I tried to do so under the radar.  
Which is why I was doing a considerable amount of cursing when I turned from watching LT Ross being loaded onto a helicopter on a stretcher to see Professor Charles Xavier and crew watching me with interest.  
“Dammit Charles I told you it’s rude to sneak up on people.”  
“You’re just upset because I am one of the few who can sneak up on you.”  
“You can sneak up on me because you mess with my mind, that doesn’t count, and you know it. Also, it is rude as fuck.”  
Charles dropped the mind block as one of the men next to him smirked at my comment. He was rough looking, with dark hair, dark eyes and dark energy. He tasted like metal.  
“I like her.” Was all he said. Charles smiled and shook his head.  
“Is there something I can help you with Professor, or is this a social call?”  
“Yes, I have something that I need you to do, and it involves that pilot you just saved.”  
“I’m a little more interested in the odd energy reading of the jet on the beach across from here actually.”  
“The one covered in American intelligence agents?” Charles offered helpfully.  
“Yes,” I smiled at him, “That would be the one. It felt like something I haven’t felt since the 40s”  
“Good, we are in agreement then.”  
“We, wait, what?”  
“You’re going to find out all you can about that jet, and something called Project Pegasus.”  
“You’re a telepath, do your own damn leg work.” I shot back at him. This exchange was typical for us.   
“I thought you just said it’s rude to do that?” Charles commented, sweetly  
I flipped him off as I turned to walk towards the wreckage. Whether he was pushing me to investigate or not, this was something I needed to dig into. Charles just liked to play his little games, and this time I guessed I would willingly play it for him.  
I heard laughing as I walked away from the group. It seems Charles has found an even more diverse crew than he ever had before. I could still taste that strange metal in my mouth. What was up with that rough looking mutant that had flown in with the Professor? That would be a question for another time I guessed.  
I cautiously picked my way across the water, doing my best to not be seen. Humans always reacted badly to seeing me walk on liquids. Just because they couldn’t do it, they got all upset. I didn’t need to deal with that when I was already going to have to trick my way into the fold.  
I tapped a few times on my wrist and changed my suit to look like a flight suit. Then I sent out an energy wave telling those working around the jet that I was supposed to be here and that I was nothing important. Most of them seemed to have no idea what was going on anyway and the highly distraught woman screaming about her friend was distracting me a little. I needed to tune that energy out or I’d never get anything done. It seemed to me that she had been close with the pilot I saw being taken.  
Those on scene ruled the crash a prototype wreck, said it should never have been flying and whisked the jets black box off to somewhere off site. I didn’t need to see what was on it. I was there, so I didn’t feel the need to follow the box. I was more interested in the energy signature left on the engine. It was exactly the same signature that I had encountered with those weapons in Germany at the end of the second world war, before that chemically enhanced kid had crashed that jet into the ocean.  
Odd. Though I guessed not that odd ultimately given that the humans had managed to find that power cube and stuff like that never stays just locked away. Someone always must play with it.  
I reported this information back to the Professor and hitched a ride back to whatever base the airmen and medics were headed to. I knew what I needed to know about the jet, but now I wanted to poke around the facilities and see what else I could find. Maybe check on the status of that pilot that was almost fish food.  
It had been a while since I cared what happened to a human beyond just initially rescuing them, but I decided not to read too much into the situation. I could be interested in humans. It’s not like I actually had rules about that.  
Once on the base, I found my way to the medical bay. May as well get this out of the way. I can always grill that pilot for anything he knows about the program. Strictly reconnaissance, that’s what I told myself.  
It was easy to find him, with the med bay being mostly empty. That would also mean it would be easy to talk to him without much interference. Good. The less mind tricks I play, the better. Since my suggestions were no where near as good as the Professors, I tried to limit how I used them.  
He was awake and propped up in his bed when I walked up to him. My suit still mimicked a standard flight suit and I did my best to project the idea that he’d seen me around on occasion. Just another face on the base.  
“Hey LT, I heard about what happened. Nasty crash you avoided there.”  
His brown eyes held that glimmer of recognition, but I hoped it was just from my suggestion. He looked at himself, then up at me. I did my best not to invade his privacy and read too much into his energy.  
“Yeah, hey, you look familiar. Were you one of the first on scene?” He was clearly a bit medicated, I intended to use that to my advantage.  
“I was, though I was tasked with the proto jet Danvers was flying. I saw them loading you on the stretcher though.”  
“That was really something else. I remember seeing flashes of jets in flight, they tell me I saw Danvers go down and got distracted, or maybe something came off the proto and clipped my jet. I don’t even remember pulling the lever to get out of there.”  
“That’s probably for the best, you’ve just been through something pretty traumatic. I’m sure you’ll remember more in time.” I certainly hope not, if you remember that firefight and they don’t want you too, I don’t even want to know what will happen. I just smiled at him. He didn’t need to know that it would be better for him if he forgot.  
“Yeah, maybe.” He said softly, “I’d swear we were being fired at. The doctors say that’s just from the head injury though.”  
“Well, I hope you get to feeling better, LT, see you around base.”  
“Thanks, hey will you come visit me sometime. If they don’t let me out of here soon, I’m going to die of boredom.”  
Eeek.  
“Uh sure, you literally just got here though, so you probably need to rest. I guess I’ll drop by tomorrow and see how you are” Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.  
“I’d like that. Thanks Captain.”  
Oh, right, the insignia. “You’re welcome, LT”  
What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Doing.

It took a couple weeks for them to clear Everett, as he requested I call him, from the med bay since he clearly had signs of a concussion, but true to my word, and like the idiot that I am, I went to see him every day. I knew it had moved past recon, since he couldn’t really tell me any more than I already knew. He hadn’t been exposed much to the proto jet, since the sexism of the time didn’t stop him from flying regular missions. He seemed to think I was involved with it though, even asked me how I knew Danvers. Guess we were similar in a lot of ways. Now I wished I had met her before she was taken. I knew we could have gotten in so much trouble together.  
I spent the rest of my time on base chasing rumors, no one wanted to talk about Project Pegasus after the proto jet went down. It was clearly going to be one of those cover up jobs. As annoying as that was, there wasn’t much I could, or would, try to do about it immediately. I knew Danvers had been alive when she was taken.  
So, I was the only person (snort) that wasn’t surprised when about five years after that crash Danvers showed up on Earth, alive, and mostly well. I felt her energy signature, so similar to that of the cube, as soon as she breached the atmosphere. The still semi fledgling SHIELD team I was now shadowing was woefully unprepared for the exchange that happened that day. Of course, humans weren’t ready for aliens, they barely acknowledged mutants.  
It was clear to me that something had messed with her mind while she was gone, but I had no time to zap her myself or even get Charles involved before I was once again bailing Everett out of a falling jet. This man was getting very predictable. We had tried to provide cover fire for Danvers and crew leaving the atmosphere to track down the space station and took a direct hit from a Kree missile. I silently hoped that this was something they could handle on their own as I replayed our original meeting out nearly perfectly, guiding the broken chair holding the once again unconscious Ross to a safe landing. The chute hadn’t deployed this time, but under the cover of darkness I just used the energy from the crash to fly us down. The chute that first time had just been cover in case someone saw.  
I need to bubble wrap this man. He never hesitated to throw himself or whatever he was piloting into the line of fire to protect someone else. We had grown to be good friends over the last few years, and he had started talking about joining the CIA after getting out of the service. I had told him it was a good idea, since it would probably be safer than the situations, he kept getting into hanging out with me. He had laughed and tried to talk me into joining him. This poor fool still had no idea I wasn’t human. How dangerous I was, especially to him. Though I suppose I played a pretty good ‘normal’ human, and the paycheck I was cashing for ‘being in the military’ was fun to watch collect interest. Mostly I threw it at Charles for improvements to the school or tried to use it to pay Wakanda for the suits they kept making me.  
None of them would take my money though. It was a strange sensation, passing as human again. I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to hold up the ruse before it became obvious to those around me that I wasn’t aging like them. Sure, modern technology made it to where I could pass longer now than ever before, and lots of people were willing to buy the whole ‘I’ve got good genetics’ line instead of cry witch in this day and age. That didn’t mean the questions wouldn’t start at some point.  
All this fresh in my mind, and the most recent concussion Everett got just for being around me, led me to take him for medical care at the mansion. Dangerous, sure, but I trusted Everett, besides, we had protocol for situations like this. With SHIELD focused on Danvers and the Skrull, no one would notice a pair of missing pilots for a while. He needed better care than what he would get on base. This time he had sustained a harder knock to the head, and I knew the dangers of repeated head trauma.  
“I know what you want, and the answer is no.” Charles said, moving away from where I was carrying Everett into the room.  
“You’ve done it before, in nearly the same situation, so stop judging me and help.”  
“Why now?” He turned to ask me.  
“Because I have given this mission five years Charles and we know all we need to know. Now prevent the damage of the repeated concussions and help me wipe his memory. Please.” The last word was soft and pleading.  
“Fine. I will help you, and him, but know that this isn’t the end of this conversation.”  
“Ok whatever, just make sure Everett will be ok, and I will drop him back off where the jet landed. No one will be the wiser.”  
“You really did plan this the whole time, didn’t you?”  
“yes” I mumbled, barely moving my lips. I knew Charles could hear me.  
Charles pulled me and a few other details from Everett’s mind, and I carefully staged the scene at the jet where the Kree ship had shot us down. I gently kissed his cheek, triggered the locator beacon and walked away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The flow on this one seems a bit off to me, but hey here it is.

Present day  
“So, would anyone like to tell me why we’re in a meeting with the CIA?” I guessed at the last part, knowing the direction Everett always told me he wanted to go after leaving the Air Force.  
“How did you know who I worked for?”  
“Lucky guess.” It was only half a lie. Charles gave a bit of a side eye at me and I sent him an energy shrug. It’s not like I had given anything away and why I was here to begin with I still wasn’t sure. Is this about the conversation that wasn’t finished twenty-five years ago? Ugh. Probably. Knowing Charles.  
“Right. Yes, I am Agent Ross with the CIA.” He showed me his badge. He’d clearly done well with all those clearances he had. Not that I was going to let him know I knew what those were.  
“All of the agencies are trying to work together to rebuild the Avengers after, uh, everything that has happened, and someone thought it was about time to bring mutants into the mix.”  
I glared at Charles from behind Agent Ross’s back. You. Can’t. Be. Serious.  
‘Sure, I can, you were practically an Avenger before they were even called that.’  
Shut. Up. You know my history. Why. Me.  
‘See previously listed reasons.’  
I know that’s not it, but I guess it’s rude to continue leaving him out.  
‘If you say so.’ Charles just smiled, and once again Agent Ross was left looking between the two of us confused.  
“I feel like I know you from somewhere.”  
Uh oh. “Well I’m sure you’ve seen the Professor on TV or giving a speech somewhere.”  
“Not just him, you.” Everett added emphasis he didn’t need to on the end of that sentence.  
Fuck. Me. “Oh, well I have done several of those functions with the Professor as security detail. That’s probably all it is.”  
“Yeah, you’re probably right. But I just can't shake the feeling that I have known you for a long time.”  
“That just happens sometimes.” I hope I deflected those questions correctly. I was right in that he’d changed since the last time I saw him. Now he had all sorts of additional skills that the brilliance was there for all those years ago, but he was just untapped potential then. I guess there was no point in asking why me, clearly this was exactly what Charles had planned for. Bastard.  
“I have only recently been briefed on mutants, powers and power levels, but it was suggested to me that we would probably want an Omega for the team. Is that the correct terminology?”  
Bonus points for acting like you don’t know as much as you do, you’ll go far with mutant relations if you keep this up.  
“I would suggest the same, and the woman sitting across from you would be perfect for the role.” Charles responded.  
I rolled my eyes.  
“Oh, what are your powers then?” Agent Ross once again directed his full attention to me. Had I been younger, or more inexperienced I might have turned pink under his gaze. He was always intense, but time seemed to have added more layers to it.  
How much do I tell?  
‘Strength, flight, plasma balls. Should probably be ambiguous about the rest for right now.’  
So, those things are what I listed, along with what I called enhanced healing. No need for them to try to whisk me off to the medical bay just to watch me heal myself. That would lead to more questions.  
“Impressive.” Agent Ross commented, jotting some notes down on a pad. “How soon can she be moved in.”  
“Excuse me?” I stammered. “Moved in?”  
“You will need to live onsite, with the other active avengers.” Agent Ross replied, like it was common knowledge.  
Fuck.  
‘You still swear a lot.’  
That earned him another glare. I decided then that Everett Ross looked incredibly cute when he was confused. Shit.  
“I guess I can have my things ready today.” I commented dully. Well, there goes much of my privacy and fun. I knew about the AI that I would be living with by moving into the compound with the avengers. It wasn’t so much that I was worried about being directly spied on, it was just that the past few years I didn’t have to hide who I was, and that had been a nice change. I had gotten spoiled living around Charles and the other mutants.  
I mentally told him as much, and he did apologize. Apology accepted, I guess. Back to being covert about just about everything that makes me, well, me. Joy.  
I shoved a few necessities in a bag and carried it out to the waiting jet. I giggled to myself about being in a jet with Agent Ross again and my inside joke to myself that this one better not get shot down. If it did, I might as well just make a career out of preventing this man from being a splat on the pavement.  
“You really do look familiar, especially when you’re smirking like that.”  
Damn. “To be fair, smirking is one of my default settings. I find humor in most things. Makes the long journey worthwhile.”  
“Since we are flying, it won’t be too long. Humor is good though, you’re going to need to it live with this bunch.”  
I decided not to point out that the long journey I was talking about was life. That would open a can of worms that I didn’t feel like dealing with right now. It was going to be interesting enough being alone with him for a flight from the campus to the compound.  
I sat back in my seat and let my body get used to the energy flowing through the jet. It was a SHIELD style Quinjet instead of the Blackbird I had been traveling in so much lately. After a thorough mental inspection of the quinjet, looking for anything and everything I might need to know, I concluded that it was a decent piece of machinery, but any quinjet would always pale in comparison to the blackbird.  
“How are you doing? You look like you’re concentrating hard on something.”  
“It’s just been a while since I’ve flown inside a jet.” I fibbed. “It feels weird.” He didn’t need to know that I was basically casing the plane. That would look bad. I might be just a little paranoid. That’s all.  
“Uh huh, so you can fly, what’s that like?”  
Of course, a pilot like Ross would want to know what it felt like to fly without being in a plane. I gave him a genuine smile, as I felt my face light up. “Like nothing you could ever imagine.”  
He smiled at my comment then turned his attention to landing the jet safely. I knew these things could practically fly themselves, but I’d never fault anyone for wanting to do something manually. There is plenty to be said for still using your hands.  
I looked out the cockpit windows and started to make a mental blueprint of what would be my new home for however long this gig lasted. The compound was humming with energy, from the electricity, the people inside, and the integrated AI system. Even if I hadn’t known about the AI before I agreed to come, if you could call it that, I would have felt it from a mile away. It takes a significant amount of energy to power a building this teched out.  
I felt Agent Ross studying me again, before he spoke, “there is that look of extreme concentration again. I’m betting you haven’t been entirely honest with me about all your powers. What exactly are you doing?”  
“I haven’t been entirely honest, if I am being entirely honest.” I admitted easily, “but I have told you what I am willing to divulge for now. This is one of those trust goes both ways things, and I am waiting to see who can be trusted with what. I’m sure you have done the same plenty of times, so don’t even try to judge me. I’m not doing anything nefarious, if that is what you are worried about.” I added, looking him directly in the eyes, so he’d get the point. Of course, I could have been schooling my expression or any other tricks to hide things, but I knew that he had been trained to spot most of those. Besides, I didn’t have anything to hide on that front.  
“I guess that is only fair. The others might not like it much though.”  
“I’m sure there is plenty they aren’t exactly straight with everyone about too, so if they want to be hypocrites, that is on them.”  
“Accepted. Let’s go introduce you, shall we?”  
“In the spirit of cooperation and so I don’t get another lecture from the Professor, Sure.” I comment dryly.  
Agent Ross looks at me steadily, and I do my best to not read his energy. I can tell he is trying to read me, but I can also tell he is trying to be covert about it. It’s not going to work, but I’m also not going to tell him that. I’m sure he’s used to working with unreadable people, hell at this point without my ability to read energy and subtle tells he would also be an unreadable person. Time changes people. Mutant or not.  
I told myself it was none of my business what he was thinking, what had happened to him in the time since I left him on the beach. I simply followed him as he strode confidently towards the buildings and the people that were waiting inside. I braced for the flood of energy and feelings. Charles had helped me considerably with control, but it was still likely to be a shock to my system to be around all these things. Sure, I had run some missions with the X-Men, I wasn’t totally shut away at the mansion, but it’s one thing to be out and about with a psychic who could block things for me if I got overwhelmed and another to have to flex those muscles all on my own.  
I took a deep steadying breath as the wave of energy hit me, Ross looked over his shoulder at me, a flash of concern momentarily crossing his face.  
“You okay?”  
“Yup, just bracing for impact”  
“Oh, I’m sure everything will be fine, you seem like the type that meshes well”  
He had misunderstood my comment, which isn’t surprising, though his assessment had been correct. Being an energy manipulator made it easy to work even the largest crowds. Though I usually used it to blend in and slip away, not to ‘make friends’ as I was intended to do here. Ugh, the things I do for the Professor. He totally owes me.  
I let the energy of the building wash over me and did my best to attune myself to what it felt like. Yes, this is what the base felt like with a person coming in that was unknown, but it would help me start establishing a baseline, Once I knew the normal hum of the place it would be easier to tune it out. It would also serve as a first warning system, if anything changed, I’d know it as soon as the base computers did. Paranoid? Sure, but better paranoid that dead. Or, maimed, since I wasn’t entirely convinced, I could die. I’m sure with enough damage it might happen, and I’d rather not test that theory on an Avengers level screw up. The kind of baddies that would be attracted to this location were likely to be just as bad or worse than anything that might show up at the school and as long as I was the ‘newbie’ and an unknown factor to the Avengers I wanted to ensure that I didn’t become a liability.  
Agent Ross lead me down a network of hallways, all brightly lit and clean. Beyond that first glance back he simply walked to wherever he was to introduce me to the team without even looking back. It was clear that he expected me to follow him, no questions asked. He radiated a hell of a lot of confidence for a box issue human with no real enhancements. Sure, he could hold his own in a fight, especially behind the controls of a jet, that I knew. Despite his penchant for getting shot down, but that was less user error, more selflessness. However, I knew that this was a man that wouldn’t be able to go toe-to-toe in a fight with pretty much anyone here, though he would give it his best shot if necessary. You’d never know it by the way he walked and that earned him even more respect from me. Maybe people change, but the basics about this man seem to have stayed the same.  
I knew I shouldn’t let myself find comfort in that, but I did anyway. That made him a known variable, even if I was fuzzy about recent details. I could be reasonably sure how he would react to things, even without invading his privacy. Take notes Charles. I almost snorted to myself, for someone who can get into other people’s heads Charles had a habit of missing a lot of major things. I blame his faith for that.  
Ross stopped gestured to a doorway that I could hear and feel a group of people beyond. I nodded to him and allowed him to follow me into the room. Easy banter broke off as everyone turned to look at the new arrivals. They all seemed curious and not hostile, so that was a good start. I’m sure it helped that I look entirely human, I don’t need to wear any fancy obvious gear and my reflexive response to attention isn’t to tell people to fuck off. I gave my best I don’t bite unless asked smile as Agent Ross introduced me.  
I got warm handshakes from everyone, except Vision, who noticed my slight hesitation and offered me a head nod instead of physical contact. Having to be flesh on flesh with a bunch of humans at once is heady enough, I didn’t want to risk direct contact with an android until I was more attuned to the general flow of the group. The others noticed something but seemed to have dismissed it for now. That was a lucky break.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introductions and layout

My whole body was buzzing with the energy assault from all the handshakes and the highly powered building. The fine hairs on my arms were starting to stand up and I didn’t need to look in a mirror to know that my eyes would soon be a luminous silver. I needed to ground myself. Even with avoiding the handshake with Vision I had managed to let myself get too amped up. If I can just get outside, just put my feet directly on dirt I can avoid the painful discharge that I can feel building.  
‘We trained for this’ Charles’ voice cut through my racing thoughts as I sat on a plush chair in the hall bathroom trying to get my powers under control.  
I know. I’m trying. I even tried to prepare myself before I got here. I’m just overwhelmed.  
‘You’re doing fine, just relax. You know what you need to do. I’ll be here if you need me.’  
A rapid knocking on the door yanked me from my conversation with Charles.  
“Just a minute” I called out, sounding far calmer than I was.  
Bruce’s soft voice responded, “You ok? You looked kind of pale out there towards the end.”  
If my skin had already started to lighten then I was more overloaded than I thought.  
“I know everything can be pretty overwhelming, with the whole team in one room, that is”  
I took another deep breath and opened the door, counting on the brightly lit bathroom diminishing any glowing I was still doing. When fully charged up I could light up a room just as well as Storm. If anything looked off about me, Bruce didn’t let it show. His rich chocolate eyes surveyed my face, silently asking me if I was ready to be around people again.  
“I’ll be ok,” I commented, “I even tried to prepare for this, but it still got to be a bit much.” I confessed.  
I knew he could understand my sentiment and he nodded.  
“I, um, I need to go somewhere outside, somewhere private, any suggestions?”  
He just nodded once, turned around and walked down the hall, headed away from the conference room full of Avengers. I followed him silently down a couple more hallways, just a couple steps behind him. It was taking every ounce of my concentration to contain the energy dancing inside me. He stopped at a pair of glass doors, from them I could see the tree line and my whole body itched to just run for it.  
“Uh, were your eyes always silver?” Bruce queried, taking a nearly imperceptible step back.  
“Shit” I mumbled as I pushed through the door and gave into my desire to sprint to the woods. I heard Bruce’s shocked gasp as a blinding flash emanated from my body just short of the woods and I yelped at the surge of pain that ripped through me. I was going to have some explaining to do, but in the meantime, I jogged a few feet into the woods and kicked my shoes off. I knew I shouldn’t have worn any. Trying to appear completely normal just bit me in the ass in a huge way. Once my bare feet contacted the earth, I let my body give into the remaining pent up energy and I shuddered as I dropped to the ground, my vision going white.  
I felt Bruce approaching cautiously. Charles was going to have some stern words for me for letting myself get that amped up, but I would deal with him later. Now for damage control. I rolled onto my side wincing and looked over my shoulder. Bruce was alone. I was thankful for that; he clearly hadn’t sounded any alarms when I took off.  
“Better?”  
“Uh, much. Sorry about that” I groaned as I sat up. I didn’t seem severely injured, but I could have been if I hadn’t ditched my shoes in time.  
“You are energy sensitive aren’t you” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. So, I just nodded. Bruce wasn’t done though. “What exactly did I just see?”  
“All the energy in the building, direct contact with everyone, I really should have come barefoot so I didn’t overload so easy…” I trailed off. “My suit is designed to handle it, but I thought I would be fine in street clothes today. Clearly I was wrong.”  
Bruce just nodded and offered me a hand up, which I took, after bracing for the skin contact.  
“Was it dangerous to anyone other than you?” Bruce had caught on quickly.  
“No, it’s mostly really bright.” I mused, “If I get hit by a bigger energy blast and have to release it, that can hurt those around me. I’m pretty good at directing those though.”  
Bruce looked into my eyes and decided whatever he saw there he believed, “Ok.”  
“Hey, thanks for your help back there.”  
“Sure, like I said, I know how overwhelming that group can be.” He said simply as we walked back towards the doors that I ran out of minutes ago. I didn’t need powers to feel the group that had congregated there. Bruce may not have sounded an alarm, but nothing that happens inside this facility was likely to stay a secret for long.  
“Hey, you two ok, FRIDAY said you booked like a bat out of hell for the tree line before the camera out this door went down.” Tony looked between the two of us.  
“Must be some kind of glitch” Bruce shrugged looking at me.  
“I’m fine, just needed some air” I supplied  
Everett was standing in the back of the group, his head tilted in a way that told me he didn’t believe the story for a minute. The rest of the group looked skeptical as well but seemed unwilling to challenge Bruce on the matter. Having someone they trust already on my side was going to be handy. I don’t know yet how much I can trust him with, but if he was extending me an olive branch, I’d be an idiot to not take it.  
“So, where in this fun house is my room?”  
Tony stepped forward again, “This way, all the rooms are in the same wing, makes it easier to not have training or experiments happen in the living areas” He gave a meaningful look to the group and I figured there must be a story there given the amount of averted eyes that caused. I giggled as I turned to follow Tony towards my new living arrangements.  
The room Tony let me into was simple, but with a bed, closet and my own bathroom I wasn’t about to complain. He said there was a full kitchen just down the hall in the lounge along with a living room set up that anyone was welcome to use. I forgot to ask about laundry facilities before Tony had wondered off again to do whatever it was that he does. Probably blowing things up or poking Bruce with sticks or blowing things up by poking Bruce with sticks. I wasn’t going to judge.  
I stepped out the door without thinking about it and walked almost directly into Everett.  
“Oh shit, I’m sorry” I said as I caught myself  
“Totally my fault,” Everett responded as he also steadied himself. “I was looking for you anyway.”  
I tilted my head at him, “You were?” He was making it hard for me to not go poking around in his energy. What the heck was he doing?  
“Yes, just needed to finalize some things about your position here, that’s all”  
I eyed him. “If you say so” I held out my hand aiming my arm down the hall, “shall we talk in the lounge? I’m hungry and Tony promised a fully stocked kitchen”  
Everett grinned at me, then turned and walked down the hall. Why do I feel like Tony has a different definition of a fully stocked kitchen than most people?  
Tony does have a different definition of a fully stocked kitchen. All the whoever wants it can eat it stuff was mostly junk food. There were some wilted, sad looking veggies in the drawer, a bunch of labeled take out containers and a few other labeled miscellaneous items.  
“I guess I’m going out for dinner today” I mumbled to no one in particular. I’d need to go shopping if I was going to be staying here. I was spoiled living at the school.  
Everett cleared his throat behind me, and I turned to face him, a bag of chips in my hand. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged at him.  
“I’ve got to eat something”  
“Fair enough” Everett responded as he handed me a stack of papers.  
“Ew, homework. I thought I had moved out of the school.” I sighed earning a bright smile in return  
“Just basic procedures and such. Oh, and a liability waiver”  
“You can’t be serious”  
“Oh, but I am, sign it or no missions for you”  
I snorted but grabbed a pen on the counter and signed that one for him. I barely skimmed over the text, it mentioned not holding the Avengers et al responsible for death, serious bodily harm or personal property damage.  
“What if I break something, or someone?” I asked evenly  
“Simple,” he responded as he put my paper in a folder, “They most likely already signed an agreement or I would assume they deserved whatever you did to them”  
Oh, the sass. There was the Ross I knew all those years ago. I smiled at him again and he got that pensive look. The more I am around him, the more I worry he will remember.  
“Need someone to show you around town? You said something about going out for dinner.”  
I almost messed up, but I quickly said I’d just go alone or try to conscript one of my new team members to show me around. My heart twinged a little at the crestfallen look he had for a fraction of a second, before he schooled his face back neutral.  
“Suit yourself” he said as he turned and walked out.  
It didn’t take me long to track down Bruce in the lab. I just felt for his energy and wondered the halls until I found a route that took me there. I felt a little like a mouse in a maze, but no one bothered me as I looked around. I guess word travels fast about new people here.  
“I need another favor”  
He looked up at me, pausing whatever he was working on. His face nearly unreadable. “Yes?” His voice said please don’t make me regret this.  
“I just need to know where there is decent food around here”  
He visibly relaxed as he smiled at me. “Couldn’t find anything you liked in that ‘fully stocked’ kitchen huh?”  
“Guilty as charged” I hummed as I scooted up onto a bench near an empty table.  
“Well all the local restaurants deliver here, whether they deliver or not normally, or town isn’t too far if you already want to get off base.”  
Thinking about the people overload I already had today I quickly shook my head, “Too risky”  
Bruce just nodded and tossed me a spiral bound book. I caught it and looked it over. Someone had made a local food directory. “Handy, thanks. Mind if I keep this for a while?”  
“You can have it, there’s copies of it all over the place here” Bruce said turning back to his work.  
“Oh, while I am thinking about it,” I added quickly “Where do we do laundry?”  
Bruce turned back to me and gave me directions from the lounge to the laundry room, I thanked him again and left the lab.  
Now the easiest choice of the day, I mused looking at the thick stack of paper as I walked back down the hall towards the living areas, what to eat?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vitality calls in some back-up, gets a makeover

‘Have you crashed any jets lately?’ probably isn’t a good thing to ask someone who you are pretending to have no history with. That was a question I would like answered, but I probably couldn’t ask anyone outright and as of right now I had no clearance with the computer files to speak of. I would have to satisfy that curiosity some other way. I could always try to hack my way in, but that seemed like a bad place to start.  
This also meant that all relationships I have here at the compound must be created from the ground up. Yeesh. Sure, Bruce had been friendly, but I didn’t know how much stock I could put into anything beyond basic kindness. No one has been openly hostile, so there is that. None of the people I have met gave any indications that they flat out hate mutants. That was always a factor in my favor. That just meant that the normal social rules apply. It had me really hoping I could avoid that awkward person completely on the outside having to fit in by using my powers to soften the process. By no means was I going to force anyone to like me, but at least I would know quickly if they were leaning towards acceptance or dislike.  
I sighed, rolling onto my back. The bed was comfortable, just the right mix of soft and firm. Tony had instructed me to tell the AI if I needed any changes made in the room, my room. I assumed they got the basics from Charles, since this had all been set up before I even actually agreed to be on the team. I had unpacked my clothes and stored them, my suit hung in the back of the closet, the X across the front was mocking me. I reached for my phone and texted Shuri. If I was to be running with the Avengers, I would need her to reprogram the suit to match the new crew.  
You up?  
Yes, why? What happened, are you ok?  
I’m fine, relatively speaking, can you do voice right now?  
: incoming call:  
“What is wrong, you hate phone calls” Bless her she knew me too well.  
“I got played, I’m at the Avengers compound right now”  
“Are you ok, are you there as a guest, is your suit malfunctioning, do I need to call my brother?” The rapid-fire questions and clear concern in her voice brought an easy smile to my lips.  
“Fine, yes, no and please don’t, though I’d love to see him, I’m a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people as it is.” I began to fill her in. “Charles cajoled me into being the mutant on the team”  
“Oh, I remember over-hearing something about them adding a mutant, you are a good choice” Her easy confidence in me gave me warm fuzzy feelings all over. Anytime I needed an emotional pick-me-up Shuri came to my rescue. She wasn’t just brilliant, she cared, too damn much sometimes.  
“Except I have already had one energy mishap because I thought I could be in civvies when I met them, and I need you to redecorate the suit”  
“Ooooh, I am glad you asked, I made you a new suit!” She nearly squealed the last few words out.  
“Why? The only thing wrong with the old suit is it no longer color coordinates with the team”  
“You are as bad as my brother” Oh the sass.  
“HEY” If I could have thrown something at her, I would have, Princess or not.  
“How many times do I have to tell you, just because...”  
“Something works doesn’t mean it can’t be better, yeah yeah, I remember.” I finished for her. She really had repeated it to both of us enough times that I should know better than to comment at this point.  
“So, a new suit huh” I mused, “When do I come see you, I will need to clear my leaving with Agent Ross and the Captain”  
“Everett Ross?” Shuri asked, interrupting my line of thought  
“Yea, why?” She suddenly had even more of my attention.  
“He’s a friend, crashed our royal flyer…”  
“HE WHAT” I was now standing next to my bed instead of laying on it, that man, I swear.  
“He helped us in battle and was remote flying one of our Talons.” Shuri continued easily, like I hadn’t just screamed in her ear.  
“Well at least THAT time he wasn’t physically in the damn thing” I commented without much forethought.  
“You know him” Shuri quipped.  
“Uh” I started, I could hear the smile in her voice though, “It’s complicated, he doesn’t remember me.”  
“Oh, he’s *that* pilot?” Shuri was too damn smart for my own good.  
“Yeah” I whispered.  
“Anyway” Shuri picked up for me, “I will come to you. No need to clear anything with anyone and I can save you the added stress of flying and extra people right now. You know that if you came into the country everyone would want to see you. It’s been too long.” The last part was added without any implied guilt, but I still felt some.  
“Sorry”  
“Don’t be sorry, I will see you tomorrow, you can come visit everyone else when you are more rested” She didn’t say be ready for a hug, but I knew I should be. I was going to get pounced. That whole family was very cat-like. The irony was not lost on me. I went to sleep knowing that I'd have a friend, a true friend I could count on no matter what, coming to visit me in the morning. It made sleep come much easier.  
I was vaguely aware of the energy fluctuations of a jet landing at the base and had begun to wake up and get dressed when my door sprung open and Shuri sprinted through it and leapt at me where I stood. I opened my arms just in time to catch her and steady myself so that we both didn’t end up on the floor.  
“OOF, hi Princess” I mumbled into her shoulder as the squeezed me with her arms and legs. I made no move to put her down though. I *had* missed her.  
“Hi” She greeted me excitedly looking down at my face like there was nothing strange about our ritual. This was always how we greeted each other, much to the amusement and chagrin of the rest of the royal family. “T’Challa sends his love” She said as she mussed my hair.  
“Hey, oh, am I interrupting something?” Bruce’s voice floated to us from the door. I spun slightly so I could see him past the now giggling Shuri.  
“Nah,” I commented, “Just picking up my friend for breakfast, what can I do for you Bruce?”  
He looked at both of us for a second longer, shrugged and said, “I figured I would see if you were up, I had FRIDAY order a variety of groceries for the kitchen. Sam is probably in there now making way too much food.”  
“Thanks, care to join us?” I carried the now squirming Princess towards the door. I had no intention of putting her down until I got to the kitchen.  
“You can put me down; I am an adult now; I don’t *need* to be carried” Shuri huffed  
“Nope, as long as I can still lift you, I’m still gonna carry you around like a teddy bear.”  
“You will *always* be able to lift me, this isn’t fair”  
“You used to enjoy me carrying you everywhere” I scoffed, pretending to be hurt by her words, “Fine, heads up” and I swung her forwards and dropped her.  
She squealed and landed on her feet playfully swatting at me. Bruce shook his head, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
“Take it you two have known each other for a while then?” He asked me as I walked up to stand beside him, Shuri tailing just behind me.  
“That obvious huh” I grinned and motioned for them to walk down the hall. I mentally prepared myself for whatever energy influx I was about to face. It felt like there was already quite the crowd milling around the kitchen waiting to be fed.  
“Wait a second,” Shuri reached out and lightly grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. She then pulled what looked like a fabric or leather choker out of her pocket and held it up for me to see. “I need to put this on you, may I?”  
I nodded and positioned myself in front of her where she could easily fasten the choker around my throat. I noticed immediately how it didn’t even feel like I was wearing anything as soon as she had clasped it and stepped back.  
She looked between myself and Bruce like she was trying to decide something important, and I guessed at what it was. “We can trust him” I supplied for her. Which seemed to only catch him a little of guard. I shrugged at him and turned to fully face her. She nodded at me.  
“Put it on then” She gave me no other clues, but I had already taken a mental gamble on what the choker was. It had a light energy humming from it as it sat gently against my skin.  
I closed my eyes, tugged at the energy and let out a little gasp of surprise as I felt it spring to life and rapidly encase my body in what must have been my new suit. It was pearlescent black and felt nearly weightless. I could feel the energy thrumming almost happily against my skin. As I looked myself over, I noticed that my feet were covered, and I looked sharply up at Shuri.  
“They are my sneakers, they won’t inhibit your connection to the earth, but this way you stop having your toes out in my lab” She waggled an eyebrow at me, and I snorted.  
I heard a low whistle from behind me and turned to see that we now had more of an audience than just Bruce. Sam was standing at the door, spatula still in hand, with a bedraggled looking Clint, who was nursing a cup of coffee, while Natasha leaned causally against the door frame. Behind her were Steve and Bucky, both looking like they had just come in from their morning run.  
“Morning everyone” I commented, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. I felt the suit surge as it contained my nervous energy and ripples of silver danced across the surface of the fabric.  
“Alright everyone,” Sam said, clearly noting my distress before even Bruce could speak up, “Time to stop staring and eat breakfast before it gets cold” He gestured into the room with the spatula and used it to shoo everyone inside leaving me in the hallway with just Bruce and Shuri.  
“You ok?” Bruce’s brown eyes watched carefully as the silver still danced harmlessly like an aurora across the suit.  
“The suit should mitigate any discharge” Shuri supplied helpfully as I thought over Bruce’s question.  
“Yea,” I reasoned, “I am ok, like I still feel the energy, but it’s nothing like when I needed to discharge the other day. Thanks”, I added softly to no one in particular. I was met with twin nods and we all followed the smell of food into the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of this feels a bit pinched, I'm still working the kinks out as I add new characters and begin interactions within the teams


End file.
